German word

weihen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈvaɪ̯ən/

Meaning

  • verbdevote oneself

Example

Sie hat sich ganz der Forschung geweiht.

She has devoted herself entirely to research.

Illustration for weihen (devote oneself)

More examples

Der Bischof weihte ihn zum Priester.

The bishop ordained him a priest.

Core concept

A solemn act sets a person, place, or object apart for a sacred purpose, while the same total commitment can be directed toward a field of work.

Common phrases

  • jemanden zum Priester weihen

    ordain someone a priest

  • sich weihen einer Ideologie

    devote oneself to an ideology

Similar words

widmen: Devote time, effort, or oneself to a person, cause, or purpose.
einweihen: Officially open a building or facility in a ceremony.
segnen: Bless a person or object by invoking divine protection.

Definition in German

weihen bedeutet, durch eine feierliche Handlung einen Ort, Gegenstand oder eine Person heilig zu erklären; reflexiv: sich etwas ganz widmen.

Word origin

Weihen is an inherited Germanic verb, recorded as Old High German wīhan and Middle High German wīhen, originally meaning to make sacred and later extending to ordination and wholehearted dedication.

Usage tips

  • In the reflexive pattern, sich einer Sache weihen takes the dative, as in sich der Forschung weihen, and sounds formal or elevated compared with sich einer Sache widmen.

Other meanings

  • consecrateverb
  • ordainverb

Opposites

  • entweihenprofaneverb

Related words

  • Weiheaktordination ritenoun

Word lists with this word